Ubisoft Digital Day games impressions

Earlier this week we headed off to central London to sample some of Ubisoft’s upcoming digital releases which included Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon, Cloudberry Kingdom, Might & Magic X Legacy and Flashback. Take a look at the video which shows off the event surrounds.

First up, we’re taking a look at Limbic Entertainment’s Might and Magic X Legacy which was playable at the Ubisoft Digital Day this week. Having not played any Might & Magic games, I was impressed with this old school styled game which aims to provide a more retro flavour to first person role playing. The demo was already set with four characters which range from typical male grunts with melee weapons and bows, to magic bearing maidens comprising of Humans, Orcs, Elves, Dwarven bloodlines. It’s all familiar stuff and if you’ve played the series from its earlier roots, will find a nostalgic trip that offers a little touch of modern gaming thrown in. The gameplay is quite simplistic, from the short play of the demo; simply follow the pathways by following a mushroom trail in this instance, take on various enemies, stack attacks with your characters – all the while keeping an eye on their health bars, and delve deeper into the world of Agyn.

Whilst quite simplistic, there are side quests and extra skills to be gained as characters level up. I can certainly see this as time guzzler as the first person viewpoint draws players into a world where excitement is tickled by constantly moving forwards to see what you come across next.

For me the biggest eye opener was how the team are open to having the game control via more than just mouse and keyboard, with options allowing for combined play with controllers and a more accessible on screen interface system that’s less reliant on loads of buttons. Whilst the interface wasn’t finalized according to creative director Erwan LeBreton, the nature of game is easy to pick up and play and one that I look forward to seeing some more of in the future as something different to other RPGs and a look at gaming’s past.

Might and Magic X Legacy is coming to PC later this year, keep your eyes peeled.

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Next up is Cloudberry Kingdom which was also playable at the Ubisoft Digital Day this week.

This is a game which pushes players to the limit whilst thrusting them into a platforming world of mayhem that can be played with up to four players in Arcade and Story modes. First order of business is creating a weird and wonderful avatar, which in my case I went for an Afro cape wearing ninja. It’s cosmetic, but does stamp a bit of personality into the game, did I mention the game also features customizable facial hair.

Either way, this is the sort of game to while away minutes to hours as you navigate the treacherous screens which progressively get tougher to pass. Laser, spikes, and death defying jumps are all requirements – alongside nerves of steel in this endearing game.

I think for me other than the really awesome soundtrack, is the fact that there’s a real sense of accomplishment when levels are cleared. This is the driving force behind the game with a one more go factor that pulls you in. Keep a lookout for this game on XBLA, PC and PSN in the coming weeks.

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It has to be said, Flashback is looking pretty indeed with its use of modern graphics and a high level of detail in its side on viewed action platform puzzler. It’s a remake of the original with some new ideas thrown in for good measure as opposed to simply being Flashback HD. Playing the demo was easy to get sucked into starting in the jungles and interacting with various enemies (both mechanical and human) and putting the pieces together. The game plays very smoothly, although some of the clunky controls of the original are still present. What’s great about the gameplay is that to begin it’s not too puzzling and allows players to sample a healthy dose of action gameplay, exploration, navigation and a few fetch quests thrown in too. If you’re a fan of the original game from the 90s then this remake is well worth your time as it keeps the core element the same. As a game for the modern age it holds up very well and will no doubt make a welcome mark on the PSN and XBLA. Sadly PC gamers will have to wait as a version is yet to be confirmed. The bottom line is, this is the Flashback Paul Cuisset would have liked to have made way back when if he could, but given the technology at the time couldn’t. This is a fun and engrossing game which I can’t wait to play more of and one that should be kept well on the radar.

Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon impressed the most from the games on offer and you can hear our thoughts in the video below.

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Written by: Robert Cram

Robert Cram has hundreds of video game reviews and thousands of articles under his belt. He aims to remain objective and fair in his analysis. With years of experience, feels his gaming opinions are valid and worth sharing. Agreement is entirely optional.